PROTECTIVE CAP FOR A PLUG CONNECTOR HOUSING

Abstract

Provided is a protective cap for mounting on a plug connector housing in order to protect the plug connector housing and plug connector modules received in the plug connector housing from environmental influences such as dirt, dust and moisture. At least one receptacle in the form of a rubber nipple is provided in a plug-in side of the protective cap, which receptacle is suitable for mechanical contact-making with a plug connector module received in the plug connector housing. The mechanical connection between the protective cap and plug connector module ensures that the plug connector module is protected from damage during transport and secured against loss and falling out when the protective cap is released. Moreover, the plug connector module can be removed, together with the protective cap, from the plug connector housing.

Claims

1-7. (canceled)

8. A protective cap for plug connector housings that are provided for receiving plug connector modules, wherein the protective cap forms a plug-in side, and wherein the plug-in side is provided so as to seal a plug connector housing with respect to the environment, wherein the plug-in side of the protective cap forms two resilient arms so as to retain a plug connector housing, wherein the plug-in side of the protective cap comprises at least one receiving device, that the at least one receiving device is embodied from an elastic polymer, that the receiving device is embodied so as to contact a plug connector module in a mechanical manner and can latch with said plug connector module, and that the plug connector module together with the protective cap is adapted to be pulled off the plug connector housing.

9. The protective cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the plug-in side of the protective cap comprises two receiving devices so as to contact a double plug connector module in a mechanical manner.

10. The protective cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one receiving device is embodied in a pin-like manner and is adapted to be inserted into a contact bush of a plug connector module.

11. The protective cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one receiving device is adapted to be latched or jammed in the contact bush of the plug connector module.

12. The protective cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein a fastener for fastening the at least one receiving device is provided, wherein alternatively one or two receiving devices are adapted to be inserted into the fastener.

13. The protective cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the protective cap comprises a grip side that lies opposite the plug-in side.

14. The protective cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one receiving device is embodied in a pin-like manner and is adapted to be inserted into a contact bush of a plug connector module.

15. The protective cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one receiving device is adapted to be latched or jammed in the contact bush of the plug connector module.

16. The protective cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein a fastener for fastening the at least one receiving device is provided, wherein alternatively one or two receiving devices are adapted to be inserted into the fastener.

17. The protective cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein the protective cap comprises a grip side that lies opposite the plug-in side.

18. The protective cap as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one receiving device is adapted to be latched or jammed in the contact bush of the plug connector module.

19. The protective cap as claimed in claim 18, wherein a fastener for fastening the at least one receiving device is provided, wherein alternatively one or two receiving devices are adapted to be inserted into the fastener.

20. The protective cap as claimed in claim 18, wherein the protective cap comprises a grip side that lies opposite the plug-in side.

21. The protective cap as claimed in claim 11, wherein a fastener for fastening the at least one receiving device is provided, wherein alternatively one or two receiving devices is adapted to be inserted into the fastener.

22. The protective cap as claimed in claim 21, wherein the protective cap comprises a grip side that lies opposite the plug-in side.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0023] One exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and further explained hereinunder. In the drawings:

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates a protective cap in its mounted state on a plug connector housing;

[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a protective cap in a 3-dimensional view;

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates an isolated receiving device;

[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates a receiving module having two receiving devices; and FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of a system comprising a plug connector housing, a plug connector module and a protective cap.

[0028] The figures include in part simplified, schematic illustrations. Identical reference numerals are in part used for identical but possibly non-identical elements. Different views of identical elements could be scaled differently.

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a protective cap 1 that is mounted on a plug connector housing 10. The plug connector housing 10 is embodied as a so-called attachment housing and is screwed on to a housing wall 12. The housing wall 12 is illustrated in a schematic manner for the sake of simplicity.

[0030] A circuit board 14 that comprises a plug connector module receiving device, a so-called cage 13, is provided on the rear face of the housing wall 12. The cage 13 is a retainer that is embodied from sheet metal and is provided so as to receive a plug connector module. The plug connector module is inserted through the plug connector housing 10 into the cage 13.

[0031] The protective cap 1 is latched onto the plug connector housing 10 in order to protect a housing interior, in this case the rear face of the housing wall 12, from contaminants, moisture and other environmental influences.

[0032] A single protective cap 1 is illustrated in the 3-dimensional view in FIG. 2. The protective cap 1 forms a plug-in side 2 in the front region, and also a grip side 3 in the rear region. The grip side 3 is provided to enable the user to grip and handle the protective cap 1. For this purpose, the grip side 3 is embodied in an ergonomic manner in order to render it possible for the user to grip said protective cover easily.

[0033] The plug-in side 2 of the protective cap 1 is embodied in such a manner as to correspond with the plug connector housing 10 in order to be able to make contact with said plug connector housing in a positive locking manner. For this purpose, the plug-in side 2 is inserted into the plug connector housing 10. A seal on the plug-in side 2 is used to provide a sealing arrangement between the protective cap 1 and the plug connector housing 10.

[0034] Two resilient arms are formed on the protective cap 1 around the plug-in side 2. The resilient arms jam the protective cap 1 on the plug connector housing 10 and hold said protective cap in a loss-proof manner.

[0035] Two receiving devices 4 are provided on the inner face of the plug-in side 2 of the protective cap 1. The receiving devices 4 extend in the plug-in direction and are provided so as to make contact with a receiving device of a plug connector module 11. The outer shape of the pin-like receiving devices 4 are embodied in such a manner as to correspond with the contact bushes of the plug connector module 11 in order to become jammed in the contact bushes. The receiving device 4 that is produced from a preferably elastic polymer and thus embodied as a rubber nipple can be connected to a plug connector module 11.

[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates an isolated receiving device 4 in a 3-dimensional view. The receiving devices 4 can be inserted in the illustrated embodiment into the protective cap 1 in a modular manner by way of a means 5 for fastening purposes. For this purpose, the pin-shaped receiving devices 4 are formed by a front plug-in region 4.2 and a rear positioning region 4.3. The positioning region 4.3 comprises a special contour so as to be received in a non-rotatable manner in the means 5.

[0037] A flange 4.4 is provided behind the positioning region 4.3. The flange 4.4 is used as a stop for the receiving device 4 in the means 5 in order to prevent said receiving device from falling out.

[0038] The front plug-in region 4.2 is embodied so as to be received in the contact bushes of the plug connector module 11. In addition, the plug-in region 4.2 comprises latching means 4.1 which provide an additional latching and/or jamming arrangement of the plug-in regions 4.2 of the receiving devices 4 in the plug connector module 11.

[0039] FIG. 4 illustrates a receiving module that comprises two receiving devices 4 and a means 5 for fastening the receiving devices 4. The means 5 is embodied as an insertion piece for the plug-in side 2 of the protective cap 1. Three orifices extend through the means 5 and said orifices are provided in each case for inserting the receiving devices 4 in a positive-locking manner.

[0040] In the illustrated embodiment, two receiving devices 4 are inserted in the means 5 in each case on the right-hand and left-hand side from the rearward face. The flange 4.4 defines the insertion depth of the receiving devices 4 in the means 5 and serves as a stop so that the receiving devices 4 cannot fall out of the means 5 towards the front.

[0041] Alternatively, it is possible that only one receiving device 4 is inserted centrally into the means 5.

[0042] FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view through a system comprising a plug connector housing 10, a plug connector module 11 and a protective cap 1. The figure illustrates the plug connector housing 10 that is formed from a fastening flange 10.1 and a plug receiving device 10.2. The fastening flange 10.1 is screwed onto the housing wall 12.

[0043] The plug-in side 2 of the protective cap 1 is inserted into the plug receiving device 10.2. The connection is sealed with respect to the environment by means of the sealing arrangement between the plug receiving device 10.2 and the plug-in side 2.

[0044] The means 5 is inserted into the plug-in side 2 of the protective cap 1 and fastened therein. The means 5 can be fastened both by means of a latching arrangement and also by means of a bonding arrangement or other known techniques. In turn, the means 5 supports the receiving device 4 that protrudes with its plug-in region 4.2 into the plug connector module 11. The plug connector module 11 is inserted on the rear face of the housing wall 12 into the cage 13. The cage 13 makes contact with and is fixed to the circuit board 14.